The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-04-20
Ths 5ailg 8nlletin,
WEDNESDAY. APRIL 20. 1887.
CAPTAIN SELFRlDGE.

>'''~N ''eoeSc ANoN y iptNiN WIN
handing the United States steamer
Omaha of the Asiatic Squadron,
who arrived on the last steamer
from Japan, EN- route to report to
the Secretary of the Navy, on ac-
count of the fatal target practice in
japanese waters has very brilliant
war record. He was acting First
Lieutenant of the Cumberland cor
vettc, when that vessel was sunk in
action by the rebel ironclad Marri-
mac off Newport News, and re-
ceived the highest commentator
from the Navy Department for his
gallant and heroic conduct in re-
naming below in charge of the bat
teries on the main deck until the
water came into the ports of the
sinking vessel and prevented any
more firing. He afterward again
distinguished himself in command
of gunboat in the Mississippi
Squadron under Admiral Porter,
and was in active service from the
commencement to the end of the
Civil War. His family is well
known in California and strongly
represented in the service. His
father, Admiral Selfridge, was for
some years the Commandant of
Mare Island Navy Yard. His
brother, Lieut.. j. Russell Selfridge,
on duty on board the Adams, third
rate, now belonging to the Pacific
Squadron, was appointed mid
shipman from California, and his
son George $. Selfridge is naval
cadet at Annapolis. Capt. Self
ridge is a native of Massachusetts,
from which State he was appointed
midshipman in 1851; graduating
first in his class; going through the
various grades to his present rank
of Captain. He is considered one
of the most accomplished officers in
the navy.
His statement with regard to the
target-fring of the Omaha, which
resulted in fatally wounding several
japanese fishermen, shows that it
was an unfortunate accident and
against which all the usual precau-
tions on such occasions had been
taken. At the time of the required
quarterly practice the Captain found
the Japanese waters, where the
vessel was stationed, so crowded
with tishermen's boats as to make
it dangerous to exercise in firing at
a floating target, so the target was
placed on shore below q high cliff,
and in the line of which there was
no settlement, and the fields were
uncultivated. The shells, to those
watching them, appeared all to have
exploded. Some fishermen, after
the ship had left, dug up five I'M
exploded shells that were buried in
the sand. The dust they raised in
striking the bank caused the belief
that the shells had burst like the
others. Knowing nothing about the
danger, one of the Japanese, in at
tempting to pry off the percussion
cap, exploded one Of the shells,
fatally wOunding several of those
of the crowd around them.
The fact that the japanese Gov
eminent had forbid target firing
within three miles of the coast was
not known to the officers of the
ship, as the information had never
been given by the American Consul,
through whom it should have come
to the squadron. The Japanese
Government, it is understood, views
it rs an unfortunate accident for
which, under the circumstances
there can be no serious blame on
the Captain. AS the cruise of the
Omaha was within few months of
expiration, it is not likely the Cap
tain will be returned to the COM
mand of the ship, but the depart
ment at Washington will doubtless
take n very lcnient view of the
affair. AS on other occasions in
which fatal results have happened
by the firing from American war
vessels in foreign harbors or seas,
the American Government will make
whatever award may be deemed
proper to the injured or the surviv-
ing relatives of the killed. A not
able instance of this was the fatal
accident in one of the French ports
many years ago. The United States
frigate Constitution in returning q
salute killed and wounded several
persons on board vessel in the
harbor, some of the guns, unknown
to the officer firing the salute, being
shOtted. The injured were literally
compensated and the relatives of the
deceased pensioned by the American
Government.-[S. +. Bulletin.